Like most men who have lived much in Paris he cared nothing at all for

the ordinary round of dissipated amusement which carries foreigners and

even young Frenchmen off their feet like a cyclone, depositing them

afterwards in strange places and in a damaged condition. It was long

since he had dined 'in joyous company,' frequented the lobby of the

ballet or found himself at dawn among the survivors of an

indiscriminate orgy. Men who know Paris well may not have improved upon

their original selves as to moral character, but they have almost

always acquired the priceless art of refined enjoyment; and this is

even more true now than in the noisy days of the Second Empire. In

Paris senseless dissipation is mostly the pursuit of the young, who

know no better, or of much older men who have never risen above the

animal state, and who sink with age into half-idiotic bestiality.

Logotheti had never been counted amongst the former, and was in no

danger of ending his days in the ranks of the latter. He was much too

fond of real enjoyment to be dissipated. Most Orientals are.

He spent the evening alone in an inner room to which no mere

acquaintance and very few of his friends had ever been admitted. His

rule was that when he was there he was not to be disturbed on any

account.

'But if the house should take fire?' a new man-servant inquired on

receiving these instructions.

'The fire-engines will put it out,' Logotheti answered. 'It is none of

my business. I will not be disturbed.' 'Very good, sir. But if the house should burn down before they come?' 'Then I should advise you to go away. But be careful not to disturb

me.' 'Very good, sir. And if'--the man's voice took a confidential tone--'if

any lady should ask for you, sir?' 'Tell her that to the best of your knowledge I am dead. If she faints,

call a cab.' 'Very good, sir.' Thereupon the new man-servant had entered upon his functions, satisfied

that his master was an original character, if not quite mad. But there

was no secret about the room itself, as far as could be seen, and it

was regularly swept and dusted like other rooms. The door was never

locked except when Logotheti was within, and the room contained no

hidden treasures, nor any piece of furniture in which such things might

have been concealed. There was nothing peculiar about the construction

of the place, except that the three windows were high above the ground

like those of a painter's studio, and could be opened or shut, or

shaded, by means of cords and chains. There were also heavy curtains,

such as are never seen in studios, which could be drawn completely

across the windows.




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